Hankie Pankie

I had a cold a few weeks ago.  After a few days of constant nose-blowing, I pretty much had snot receptacles on the brain.  And so from that pretty little back story, we arrive at my deciding to make some pretty little handkerchiefs.  There really isn’t much to them, super fast to make, there is something beautifully simple and homey about them.  I actually have quite a few more of these in the works, so I’m totally prepared the next time I have a cold or get the vapors.  Not that I would know if I had the vapors, but I’ve seen enough black and white programming to assume it comes with the territory of being a girl and hankies are required for dealing with them.  And now I’m ready.  You should be, too.  They really are so easy to make, a tutorial is probably overkill.  But I took pictures, so you get a tutorial, dang it!  Let’s proceed…

All you’re going to need is

- some cheap, thin cotton cut into two 13” squares,

-a traceable image you like.  I used clip art images I found online and transfer prints from some vintage patterns I have

 
-a sewing machine and fun-colored thread
-embroidery floss (optional)

Layer your two squares on top of each other, wrong sides facing.

Along the outer edge, about 1/2 inch in, sew a thick stitch all around the entire square.  I recommend a satin stitch, which is just a zig zag set to it’s tightest stitch setting.  I have a few decorative satin stitch options on my machine, so went with those

.
Now, as close to those thick stitches as you can, without clipping the actual stitch/threads, trim the outside edges
All the way around

Now trace your image onto the fabric using a pencil
    
I used my light box, but you could also tape the image, then the hankie, to a well-lit window and trace that way.

After your image is traced, you have two options. 

Use your machine to stitch the image	Embroider the image by hand
Choose a straight stitch.  If your machine has one, make it a thick straight.  Key “3C” on mine makes a triple thick stitch, so that’s what I went with. Slowly, start following the trace lines with your machine. Lift and turn frequently, to keep things as smooth as possible. Switch out colors, and keep on going Until all of your image is stitched in place	Place your hankie in an embroidery hoop and use a backstitch to fill in the image by hand with embroidery floss. I recommend a backstitch because whatever you sew will also be seen on the other side.  A back stitch will make the image most complete on both sides.  This is the back of the image: And the front

I like the end results of the hand embroidered better

But the machine “embroidered” goes much, much faster and still looks good.  And it has the added benefit of looking nearly identical on both sides of the hankie.

Just some other options, you can also do a rolled hem on your serger for the edges of the hankie

Not as fancy, but it works and is SUPER fast.  And if you use variegated thread, it makes it more fun.

   
Or you can put right sides together, sew around the edges, leaving a small opening

     

turn

iron

and top stitch

I think this would be best for a more masculine…hankie.  Hankie doesn’t sound so masculine. 
This would be best for a more masculine snot rag.  This one is for my son. 

I still want to embroider an outline around the edges of the pirate (got the image from Lil’ Blue Boo—LOVE IT!!)  But my kid is *constantly* wiping his nose on his shirt, so maybe this will give him the satisfaction of cloth without ruining the collars of all his shirts.

Anyway, when I finish all the ones I’ve started, I’ll have more than enough for some hostess gifts and to keep for myself. 

Bring on the vapors.

linking to a few of these parties